Supposedly, good people go to Heaven, and most people believe that they are good and that they are going to Heaven. Why would anyone need Jesus? We are confident in our goodness despite our consciences convicting us of right and wrong. We feel guilt, shame, and regret for what we have done. We have all lied, stole, slandered, cursed someone, hated, and lusted for someone we should not. Are we innocent or guilty? Our consciences tell us that we are guilty but we all want to be free of such condemnation.
Sometimes, we console ourselves by saying that society’s standards make us feel guilty. Unless we have become morally callous, we should all feel guilty even if society approves of child abuse or trafficking of the innocent. Society cannot be the standard for moral right and wrong. Society did not give us our conscience. They have no right to tell us what is good and what is evil. We all have rights. We know that those who violate our rights are doing evil. Our consciences and our pursuit of our rights show constant proof of a standard of right and wrong.
The Origin of Virtue
Virtue was not invented by people but rather existed before people. From where would virtue have begun? Virtue is constant and has always been. The only other options for the origin of virtue that it comes from nothing or it came from people, which cannot be that something come from nothing or virtue from contradicting societies.
We are confident that the existence of virtue implies purpose. There is a purpose to life. Virtue presents justice as justice is essential to maintain human rights. There will be justice and there must be a judgment for the guilty. How can there be judgment without there being a just and virtuous Judge? However, we are all guilty great or low. We are often confused over what is right and wrong since people contradict each other. We are constantly convicted by our consciences to know what is good and evil by an innate sense of judgment upon us. From what we do know, we know that we all have guilt, shame, and regret.
How Does Jesus Help
This brings us to our question. Who needs Jesus? What’s the point? What does Jesus offer to understand right and wrong? What virtues does Jesus bring? Does Jesus bring justice to the guilty? Where are the greatest and purest morals? We can consider the morals of many. Among these is Jesus. We must admit that His teachings stand out among the many. He was the first to say, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31), “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13), and much more (Matt 5:39–42, 44; 6:19, 21, 25; 15:18–20; Luke 6:37; 14:12–13; John 7:24; 13:34–35). His virtues bring much clarity on whether we really want to accept Jesus or not. In all of this, we are confident that there must be mercy, but not a mercy from those who keep doing evil and not a mercy made up by society. Therefore, we either neglect a search for truth with mercy, half-heartedly take in what we can, or we diligently pursue mercy among all the morality that we can gather.
The Words of Jesus
We cannot escape the words of Jesus of Nazareth. His words weigh on the hearts of those who know them. Some people scoff at him and most neglect him. The rest believe Jesus’s teachings and diligently seek mercy from the great Judge us all who Jesus refers to as His heavenly Father. By the evidence of a plurality of witnesses, we know whether history is true or whether someone is guilty of a crime. By this standard, the witnesses of Jesus’s life confirmed that Jesus lived, died, and resurrected. Jesus taught the highest and purest standard of morals that have ever been taught, but this teacher suffered persecution and died being nailed to a wooden cross. Then according to witnesses, they confirm that Jesus was innocent of all sin and was not worthy of the justice and condemnation of death, and thereby Jesus defeated death by being raised from the dead (Heb 2:14). Because of this, Jesus is the only way to eternal life in the new earth (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Jesus revealed that His words will judge the world on the last day (John 12:47–48). His words are spirit and life (John 6:63). Jesus gave these words to His Apostles who wrote them in the Bible and His words will never pass away (John 15:20; 17:8; cf. Matt 24:35). Jesus’s apostles and prophets wrote His words so that you can know that you have eternal life and so that you can be complete and equipped to do every good work (1 John 5:13; 2 Tim 3:16–17). Jesus showed that our own good deeds cannot save us and get us into the eternal kingdom of the heavenly country (Eph 2:8–9). Christ is the author of salvation to all those who obey Him (Heb 5:9).
Meaning, Purpose, and Judgment
The problem with believing that good people go to heaven by being good is that they believe that they are good apart from Jesus Christ and this makes Jesus’s life and death meaningless and void. In doing this, we would disregard our own guilt. Jesus also taught that man and woman were created in the image of God (Matt 19:4; cf. Gen 1:26–27). Jesus’s words teach that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16; cf. 1 Cor 13:13). This indicates that humankind was created in God’s image with the purpose to love. This also indicates that to do evil is to act without love, which is how people are guilty and thus we offend God (1 Cor 13:1–3). Therefore, Jesus is right to say that if we love God, then we will obey His commands (John 14:21, 23–24).
Jesus’s words teach that one day everyone will be judged by God for what they have done (Rev 22:12; cf. 2 Cor 5:10). Jesus also taught that there are only two destinations for the innocent and the guilty: eternal life and eternal punishment (Matt 25:34, 41, 46). All are guilty including good people. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23; 5:12). All are condemned having earned spiritual death (Rom 5:16–18; 6:23; cf. John 3:18–21). However, there is good news for the guilty.
The Good News
How can we be saved through Jesus’s death and resurrection? Jesus’s words teach you to believe and confess that He is the resurrected Lord and God (Rom 10:9–10; cf. John 1:1, 14; 8:24, 58). Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt 7:21). There is more to being saved than confessing Christ as “Lord.” Jesus teaches that one who loves Him will keep His commands (John 14:21, 23–24). Jesus’s words teach the necessity for you to change your mind to stop practicing sin (repent) and be immersed (baptized) in water in Jesus’s name to wash away your sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Jesus revealed, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Know that there is only one baptism to obey, which is to be immersed in water (Acts 10:47–48; Eph 4:5; 5:26). With obedience, people are saved by the Gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:1–4; 2 Thess 1:7–9). One obeys the Gospel by re-enacting it by dying to sins, being buried in baptism, and being resurrected to a new life (Rom 6:4–6; Col 2:12–13). Is this the Gospel that you obeyed? “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16).
By baptism, one is added to the church of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 12:13). The church is Christ’s people and community. Christ saved, built, and bought with His blood the one Church (Matt 16:18; Eph 1:22–23; 4:4; 5:23–26; cf. Acts 20:28). After baptism, one must walk in the light that the blood of Christ washes away sins (1 John 1:7). Walking in the light is to obey God’s commands in love (1 John 2:3–6). His commands include reading the Bible, praying, and going to the meetings of the church of Christ (Phil. 4:6–7; 1 Tim 4:13; Heb 10:25). The truth is that God wants everyone to know the truth and be saved (1 Tim 2:4), so be aware of many who knowingly or unknowingly perverts the gospel of Christ for they are accursed (Matt 7:15–20; Gal 1:6–12).
The Breath of God 
I am not arrogant, but I am certainly confident. I agree with words of Christ so if someone proves their point from the Scripture then I’ll believe.
Regarding Romans 14, we know that this passage is not talking about faith and God’s commands, but opinions that are “disputable matters”. Beliefs and teachings of Christ are not opinions or “disputable matters”. I absolutely agree that Romans 14 is important and essential, but it is not relevant to baptism being necessary for salvation. People may have misunderstandings, but the Scriptures are written to be understood unto salvation (1 John 5:13, Ephesians 3:1-5), and that we may all understand alike, “you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
I do not completely understand your point in using Matthew 10:40-42.
Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 10:40-42
10:40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
10:41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous;
10:42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
It seems to fully understand the riteous mans teachings is not necessary.
but in accepting the messenger one is accepting the lord and in so as this scripture presents accepting the father.
Romans 14:1-8 “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One man considers one day more sacred than another, another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the
Jesus has set the standard and we know no servant is greater than his master. He has taught us by example that patience and love for the leat of men is the fruit of his spirit. you can think your understanding perfect or your intelect superior but it fails in the prescence of truth. No arguing it is betten to understand what we can but with more knowledge comes more accountabuility . It is like the most learned man who knows the universe was made in six days because he has studied the word. and another learned man says yes but the day is relative in that the word has said a day on earth is as a thousand years in heaven. and yet another wise man who looks deep into the meaning of things says if god made million year old rocks and heavy elements surely the million years happened in the mind of god and isnt this all just as relative to the mind of god. this is why thinking you know a thing means someone else must be wrong when the reality is much more complicated than the surface puzzles we squander our soul harvesting time debating. Christ said Mat 26:42 O father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will, But as thou wilt. these are the words of our savior and lord . If you are willing to stand in my place before god for me. and take the punishment for my sins as christ has shown to be true love. Than i will confess you to our father when i see him. where there is knowledge it will fail but the fruit of those who in love lay down their lives for others in the name of him who led by example . he is justified by his fruit and saved by his faith which caused his act. Its a good thing Jesus didnt take the time to write a new bible.
James,
I hope you have not accepted the soothing lie of relativism and universalism. I hope you’ll reconsider your conclusions. First John 2:3-6, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (4) Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, (5) but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: (6) whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
You say that there is no law and do you hold others to your law of their being no law? Friend, some have gone to such extremes as to say that there are no laws for which Christians are obey. Notice Romans 7:25 teaches that one is to serve the “law of God” and 1 Corinthians 9:21 shows that Christians are under the law of Christ. The laws of the Lord are on the hearts of Christians from the New Testament (Jer. 31:33, Heb. 10:16). The Scriptures continue in referring to the Law of Christ (Isa. 2:3, Jer. 31:33, Rom. 8:7, Gal. 6:2). The Law of Christ is described as the perfect law (Jam. 1:25, 2:12). The great thing about the Law of Christ is the mercy and release from sin and death (Rom. 3:27). Romans 8:1-2, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.”
I assume that you believe that I am not climbing the spiritual mountain since I concern myself with observing all things (Matt. 28:20) and obeying the commands of Christ’s New Testament, which all do who love God (John 14:21, 23-24, 15:9-10; 1 John 5:3, 2 John 6). Are you so high that you can forgive me for not agreeing with you?
Do you believe that the preacher who called those who opposed His understanding of the Word of God “hypocrites”, “son of Hell”, “blind guides”, “fools”, “blind”, “whited tombs”, “sons of them who slaughtered the prophets”, “serpents”, and “offspring of vipers” was wrong to do so? Did this man not have the loving spirit that you refer to? This was Christ as I think you know (Matt. 23). I will do as Christ oppose those who oppose Him and His Word. I hope that you are not one of these of whom Christ describes. At the same time, Christ turned others with gentleness who did not openly oppose His Word, and so will I (Gal. 6:1). In the case above, there have been those who “shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces” and they enter not “nor allow those who would enter to go in” (Matt. 23:13). I will oppose these people. I must rebuke those who change the Gospel of Christ (Rom. 16:17-18, 1 Tim. 5:20, Tit. 1:13, 3:10).
Jim Mayes,
We must observe all things (Matt. 28:20). We must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). We must love God by having His commands and obeying them (John 14:21, 23-24, 15:9-10; 1 John 5:3, 2 John 6). We can and must understand God’s Word (Eph. 3:1-5) though some things are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). In all of God’s greatness and His unfathomable knowledge, He has given us things that we can understand and know. I hope that you do not accept the lies of relativism and universalism rather than the words of Christ.
I desire grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus.
Brothers, Peace be with you all. and my love to you as well.
Let us not think too much in the knowledge of men . for what is real is beyond words. Faith ,hope and Love and the greatest or most important is love . which has not been mentioned . It has always interested me how the book of revelations starts out with an accounting of the discrepencies between different churches which are all part of the whole.
Not I but CHRIST who lives through me .
Truth is much like a mountain in that it is broad at its base and there so easy to stand on . but as it is written that there is the milk and the meat of gods truth so truth has degrees of difficulty by which to be understood. for those called to understanding the journey to the summit is difficult and trying . many analogies of the mountain parralell truths realities and relativities.
It must be a good thing for a lover of simplicity and ones fellow man that even the most unintelligent and weak of our brothers can stand at the base of the mountain. And as it is that there are sheep and sheppards sometimes our sheep get lost on the mountain . We must climb as high on the nountain as we are called in our flesh to be strenghened in our spirits .
so we then can return to our sheep with strength and power from on high. but always in love suffering those who cannot stomach the meat of this revelation truth brings. If we try to rationalize logically every part of the truth than the knowledge of man would make the truth a new law which would still lead only to death. Already once the bride of our lord who was given the mercy of a simple and coherent law by which to sustain virtue unto marriage has failed to make it to the altar. Let us not be as the saducees and farasees so empowered to the flesh by reason of such extrordinary intelect that we lose the guidance of a loving spirit so compassionate towards his brothers that if it were possible he wold never suffer having his sin cast on the soul of another. and the most pure and innocent of all men at that. The truth will not be set in stone again my brothers but now it seems the truth has become the stone its self.
Please forgive my clumsyness and understand that it is not I but christ living through my clumsyness.
God created the entire universe and all that is in it. Man has not even seen the entire universe, though like children we continue to seek the answers that only He knows. We will seek the Word, but we will never fully understand all of it. He is a God of unfathomable size and power. I am tiny and insignificant, but I do know that he loves me, because he sent His Son to this tiny, spinning planet we call home – the Creator reconnecting us to Himself with life eternal. He knows what is in our heart. Fellowship in love for one another.
Then i must ask: are you saying John 3:36 is wrong? That, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” This verse is not saying they will have… or may have… but present tense: HATH everlasting life. They dont beleive then get baptized and have it. They beleive and have it.
Second, if thats how one should read the bible then no one can be saved because psalm 53:1 says, “There is no God.” Braden, thats not a valid quote of 3:21. Peter says, “The LIKE FIGURE whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”
The like figure in the verse before was Noah. It was a world wide flood in the days of Noah, everyone was “baptized” but Noah was saved because he found grace in the eyes of the lord. He found grace in the eyes of the lord before the flood which is when he was saved. (Gen 6) The flood was the washing away of the filth of the world from Noah and thats the part that is symbolic of our baptism. Peter tells us that the baptism he is talking about is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.
I see what you’re getting at Joe. And to that, I’d point to 1st Peter 3:21, where it says “baptism now saves you.”